Blaine Mays is president of the International New Thought Alliance, which holds, among other things, that mental states are manifested in daily experience. He can describe the New Thought movement and discuss whether the blockbuster success of The Secret has created demand for New Thought churches and spiritual centers.

Kathryn Lofton is a professor of religious studies, American studies and  history and divinity at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. She has written about the religious content of Oprah Winfrey’s media empire and is knowledgeable about American religion and materialism, especially Christian kitsch.

Hershel Shanks is the founder of the Biblical Archaeology Society, based in Washington, D.C., and editor of the society’s publication, the Biblical Archaeology Review. Shanks and the BAR are alternately praised and pilloried for efforts to “popularize” biblical archaeology. They were a driving force behind efforts to promote the so-called James ossuary in 2003.

Steven Hassan has written several books about cult experiences, including Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs. Hassan lives in the Boston area.

Michael Breen is the founder of a public relations firm in South Korea. He calls himself a lapsed member of the Unification Church and is the author of Sun Myung Moon: The Early Years 1920-53.

Read a Feb. 7, 2010, NPR story about Sun Myung Moon’s efforts to reinvigorate the Unification Church.

Read an April 2, 2010, Forbes story about Sun Myung Moon’s sons vying to reinvigorate the spiritual enterprise.

Read a March 24, 2012, Reuters story about one of the mass weddings over which Sun Myung Moon presided.

An unofficial Unification Church site posts numerous links to Moon’s teachings, questions and answers about Unificationism, and other matters.